How Nifty

This is what I have. Well, picture this as the tip of the iceberg. You know those motivational posters with the little iceberg tip on the surface with the HUGE extension underneath? Yeah, thats what this is like.

This is what I need. Neat little center pull yarn cakes. Yes, this one is not so neat because it has been played with and is behaving like a redheaded stepchild. It is beautiful so I will overlook that small detail. Enter the swift. You unfurl those long hanks onto the swift and feed it into a ball winder to make nice little cakes. It goes very quick with a swift and looks darn fun! Yes, I could learn to make center pull balls. Well, no I probably can't. I have tried. Picture me in a tangle of yarn swearing like a truck driver, or at least the sailor that I was. That was BEFORE I had a baby. So yes I need one of these. Hubby was beaten into submission and the swift was ordered on Mother's Day. I had to pull a little five year old behavior. You know what I mean. This is what I want and I want it now. Well, I didn't phrase it quite like that but you get the point. This concludes your education on swifties.

Back to Live..Back to Reality

Mother's day was bliss. I slept in. I DID NOT CLEAN! I did no laundry. Changed very few diapers. Found a HUGE card with handprints. Ate cheesecake. Guzzled Starbucks. Hmm my yarn swift got ordered. YAY! I decided to be very proactive and get the day I wanted. Today has been a slap in the face. Burned the crap out of my hand, which led to dropping my dinner all over the floor with glass everywhere. Well into the second sock on the magic socks. Tommorow I will try to return to intelligent thoughts.

Mountain Road

On the scarf front I have finished these lovelies and they will be in the mail tommorow. The KAL is doing a major drop off at the end of May so I didn't have as much time for this project as I thought.





Okay I had a hard time naming this one. Yes, we weirdo knitters name our knits if we make up the pattern. Patterns have some strange names. It does remind me of a mountain road in the spring time. Let me just say the pictures don't do this yarn justice. To really get it you MUST bury your face in it and inhale deeply. Yes, you will get a high. An angora high! Noro Kochoran is a wool, silk, and angora blend. Two skeins just leapt into my hands at the lys (local yarn store) and demanded to be brought home. How could I refuse? Once I touched this yarn I could work on nothing else until this was done. It was as if I might soil my hands by touching something else. What was it like 86 degrees today? Oh well the cold weather will come back eventually.

I am about to go sit on the dining room floor to work on my second pair of socks.

In other news: Yeah, it has now been decided I drop to 2 pumps a day on June 1st. That is a mutual decision between Will and myself. It's just taking a toll. I am still prone to being emotional about the whole business. To make it easier the thought of overfull breasts in 90+ heat is not appealing in any way.

The Torture Device

This baby has been used.

Yes, the paint is WEARING off.

Now proceed to the post before this one.

We're Not Gonna Take It

WARNING: THIS POST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH KNITTING!

First Buby is finally cutting teeth. Poor little guy. Now Mommy gets what all the fussiness was about last Thursday. Oh dumb Mommy.

I have been wrestling with pumping breast milk since he was born. I really, really, really wanted to go a full year. It looks like I am going to fall short. I can't take much more of this pumping. I am in pain all the time and my poor nips have been bleeding everyday for at least a month. I present this to you because I know it is time to quit. I need to quit. I also think Buby needs my full attention. He too looks at the pump with distaste when I hook up. Time to put quality of time above my milk. I am not one of those who feel formula is bad. I know with the refulx bm is better. I am sure he will survive. I have to put this out there to make myself stick to this and not be swayed by guilt. Yes, tears have been shed over this issue. It is very difficult for me. Overall I want my time and my boobs back. It's been a good run. My supply is dropping faster than GW's approval ratings. I am tired of swilling various herbal teas and pills to try to keep it going. Funny that in my prime I was pumping 70+ oz a day. Thanks to a power outage my reserves are gone. I am going to take a month (maybe, I may not last that long) to freeze some extra, then drop from 3 to 2 to 1 pump. Then finito. I look forward to it and feel a little sad. The decision has been made. My pediatrician is just going to have to kiss my knits. She is VERY heavy on pushing bm for at least a year. If I get too much grief I will change to a new Dr. I don't really think it matters what anyone else believes I should do with my boobs. Thats that.

When You Knit Alone....In The Dark

Addiction: The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something.

If you drink alone, in the dark, in a secretive manner you are an alcoholic by the standards of some. What is it if you find yourself knitting alone… in the dark… on the floor of the closet at 1:39am? I am not sure I can admit this is an addiction (first sign denial). Okay so last night at my knitting meet up I made tremendous progress on my sock. Then as I sat there pumping away for the last time of the day I was knitting furiously with the mantra, "knit, knit, knit" going thru my mind at warp speed. Mayhem ensues, I am 2 rows; yes 2 rows, away from completion. Well, away from the kitcheners stitch. Agh. Then some snarling happens between the adults. Finally Buby is in bed. I can't sleep. Hubby is sleeping in the living room since he still has a cold. I can't sleep. It's past 1 am. I can't sleep. I hear this roaring chant from the closet, "two more rows, two more rows, two more rows". You get the idea. Those socks wouldn't shut up and go to bed! When your socks start talking you should be concerned. I can't go out to the living room as someone is sleeping out there. I can't go to any other room and get caught (there is the secrecy).

Pan to the next scene. Me sitting on the floor of the closet, hey it is the size of a small room, with a flashlight propped up (the light would wake Buby and I couldn't shut the door as it squeaks), finishing the sock. What could happen in two rows at 1:39am? Yes, I dropped a stitch. In the middle of the toe decreases no less. My trusty life hook (crochet hook) was in the living room! I could barely see the stitches as it was only a mini Mag-lite. I had to admit defeat and go to bed. I had bizarre dreams. No doubt a result of not completing my obsession.

You will be relieved to know I did indeed finish the sock this morning. Picked up that stitch and soldiered on in the light of day. They are finished. I believe I have developed a new addiction. Someone asked me how much can you blog about knitting? I'd venture a guess that given the levels of my insanity, plenty.

Whats On the Needles/Ain't That A Pisser

Magic Stripes Basic Sock

Ta Da! My first sock is done and its mate is more than half done. I put off trying socks for some time, but finally took the plunge. My desire for pretty socks finally took over. Seems every time I buy pretty socks they diappoint me in some way. The latest shamrock argyles had so many strings haning inside I could barely get my toes past it all without getting hung up. This is one of those where you think "Oh, that's not so hard." As a warning this has now bred a new obsession for sock yarn. Apparently there is some secret underworld to sock yarn. Who knew?

1 skein Plymouth Encore/2 Eskimo dusk

This will be the first scarf cast on! I have so much yarn to use for these scarves it is ridiculous! When I get brave I'll flash it for you.

In Other news:

I was pissed on before I had been out of bed for a whole 3 minutes. Not exactly a way I recommend starting the day. Opened the new creamer I bought cuz it was $.20 cheaper than my regular......I am not even sure I can describe the taste. Let's just say what the hell!? I will be going to the store today for a replacement which I will have to pay double the price to get since I am not near a commissary. It even looks like rain. Maybe I should join Buby in bed.